Family Feud
by wrenegade
Summary: Bella is twenty-one years old and has moved to New York to pursue her career as an artist. Along with her trusty dog, Jasper, she learns that not all is as it seems when she meets a handsome stranger, Jasper Whitlock. His burgundy eyes and mysterious features tell her that she's entered into a world she does not understand. AU BellaxJasper Rated for language and lemons.
1. Chapter 1

This story was an original novel of mine, but I hit some terrible writer's block with it, so I decided to turn it into a fan-fic. The cullens are vampires, so is Jasper Whitlock, but Alice is not with him. She and Edward are mates instead. There'll be no end to the jokes about Jasper having the same name as Bella's dog. Complete AU, Bella never lived in Forks, never met the Cullens before.

* * *

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

"New York, New York," Bella sang to herself as she stepped out of the cab and onto the bustling streets of the Big Apple. She'd visited before, but never by herself. And now it wasn't just a visit, she bit the bullet and decided to move. "Come on Jazz," she said to her dog, Jasper. He hopped down out of the car and sat next to her on the curb, like the very well-trained Golden Retriever he was.

The cabby helped get her bags out of the trunk and set them on the curb next to her. Jasper was a very good guard-dog and would growl if anyone got within ten feet of the luggage. Bella thanked the driver, gave him a hefty tip and turned to haul her things inside the building that now housed her spacious warehouse-turned apartment. Jasper suddenly started growling viciously. Bella looked up and saw a man in a track suit jogging in their direction. "It's okay, buddy," she cooed to her dog. He immediately stopped growling and looked up at her, waiting for the next command. She knew those words were the key to get him to calm down.

The man did slow down as he approached, having noticed the dog. "Wow, what a beautiful and well-trained Golden!" he complimented. He had a genuine and friendly smile on his face that lit up his dark eyes. Bella staggered a moment as she took him in. He was drop-dead gorgeous. He looked like a young Paul Newman, with the golden locks and everything, though his eyes were a strange hue of burgundy rather than blue.

"Th-thank you," Bella replied, stammering through the two simple words. "Jasper is the best bodyguard one could ever ask for. Come on boy, let's go inside." She turned away from the man and headed towards the building.

"You… your dog's name is Jasper?" the man asked, incredulously. Bella turned and nodded at him. "Well, that's my name, too. Jasper Whitlock, ma'am. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Even his voice was sexy, with a hint of a southern twang. Evidence that he was not a native New Yorker.

"Bella," she replied. He nodded and smiled as he continued his jog down the street, whistling to some unknown tune. Bella tried her damnedest not to watch his delectable ass as he moved away from her. Jasper, the dog, arfed, bringing her back to reality. She opened the sliding metal door with her keys and set all her luggage off to the side. The dog followed behind, wagging his tail profusely as he sniffed every single inch of the apartment.

It was basically one huge room with huge windows on one wall. They were old and yellowed, with some covered with chipping black paint but she loved them. She loved everything about the place. It was the kind of place that she could transform into her own space, make it one hundred percent hers. The ceilings were high, enabling her to build a lofted bedroom area if she so chose, thus maximizing the space even more. The kitchen was off to the right, an open setting with an island that housed the stove and some cabinets, while the double ovens, fridge, counters and sink were along the wall.

The bathroom was past the kitchen, a claw-foot tub and shower combination with a sink and vanity. It was small but functional. She envisioned many a bubble bath with a good book under candlelight in that tub.

After putting away the few toiletries and items she brought with her, she knew it was time to go shopping for actual things like dishes, cookware, and perhaps a bed. Yes, a bed was probably important. She grabbed Jasper's leash which immediately had him jumping up and down, excited to be going for a walk. She had to tell him to sit down three times before he finally calmed himself enough to let her attach the leash to his collar. She noticed the tag hanging from his collar had her old address on it. "We'll have to get you a new dog-tag, too Jazz. You're a New-Yorker now." He licked her hand and waited impatiently while she grabbed her purse and keys.

Out on the streets, she passed by store after store that had many things she wanted. A top of the line cook set from William Sonoma, bedding from Soho, and she wanted her entire wardrobe from Vera Wang. Alas, while she had a large budget to work with, it didn't quite allow for such luxury, so she traipsed down the road to the slightly cheaper shops. Standing at the window display in front of a store called the Kitchen Window, she knew she'd found the perfect place to stock her kitchen.

As she stared through the window, one of the sales clerks stepped outside. "What a beautiful dog!" she said. "Can I pet him?" She was holding a dog bowl full of water. Bella knew she'd like this place, and this confirmed it.

"Sure, his name is Jasper, hold your hand out to him before you pet him, though," Bella warned. The clerk set the bowl down on the ground right in front of Jasper before approaching him.

"I'm Esme," the clerk greeted, speaking more to the dog than to his owner. She held her hand out, Jasper sniffed it before licking it and then let her pet his head. He lifted one paw and placed it on her forearm. Such a flirt. "Oh, what a sweetie!" she said. Jasper then bent down to take a noisy drink from the bowl. "I'm the owner of Kitchen Window, and technically there's a no dogs allowed policy, but I think in his case I'll have to make an exception. We'll say he's a service dog, so pretend to be blind," she joked. "Are you looking to buy some things?" Oh, so she wasn't just a sales clerk. Apparently the owner wore the brown apron, too.

"Yes, actually. I just moved here and didn't bring much in the way of kitchen things, so I need to stock up on…" she looked at her list, "well everything. And I just love what you have in the display here, so I'm sure there are even more awesome things inside." Esme took the proffered list and looked it over for a moment.

"Oh, I'm sure we can help you out with pretty much all of this. Your name, sweetie?"

"Bella," she replied. "Bella Swan."

"Beautiful name. Short for Isabella?" Bella nodded, thanking her."

"Well, Bella and Jasper Swan, come on in!" She let them into the store and gave her a bit of a tour before letting Bella off on her own. "Feel free to browse around all you like. You can put these sticky notes on the items you want and one of my guys will pack it all up and deliver it to your place for you. Free of charge. I'll go scrounge up some treats for Jasper, if that's alright." Bella nodded and thanked her, knowing that she'd just made her first friend in the big city. Jasper followed her around obediently as she perused the aisles of the store. It had everything: cookware, dishes, bakeware, knives, mixing bowls, glasses, silverware, decorations, knick knacks, wall art, even tables and chairs. In the back of the store, they held weekly cooking classes for various cuisines and techniques. That month they were specializing in gluten-free cooking, seeing as it was all the rage.

She stopped at a painting, admiring the abstract lines and colors that stood out on the canvas. "The last thing we need is more artwork, though, right, Jasper?" He merely yipped at her, wagging his tail happily.

As she strolled through the aisles, she placed a sticky note on each thing she wanted or liked. Esme had given her two colors, green for, "Yes! I want this right the eff now," and yellow for, "I like the hell outta this, but I'll save it for later." The stickers actually had those quotes on each one.

After an hour, she'd picked out a set of pots and pans, cutlery, cooking utensils, a set of matching dishes, silverware, mugs and glasses, a few knick knacks to spruce up the area and a dining set. Jasper had been spoiled rotten by Esme and the other employees at Kitchen Window, given at least a dozen treats and more pats on the head, belly rubs and ear scratches than he could count. He was in seventh heaven.

Esme had two of her guys scan the UPC codes on all the items Bella picked. They had iPods that scanned the barcodes and then tallied everything up on the iPad Esme used as a register. What a great way to avoid carrying all that stuff up to the check out area, have one person scan each thing in and have the people behind you waiting impatiently. Bella complimented Esme on her system, who said that her brother had designed the app himself, and she was the first beta user of it. Genius, her brother would make millions.

"I especially love the sticky notes," Bella said as she placed the unused ones on the counter. "That's a genius idea, too."

"That was all me," Esme said, beaming. "There's a website where you can have custom ones made, so I did that and the customers seem to love it! They even ask if I sell the sticky notes. I just give them the information for the site where I bought them, and tell them they can copy my design and wording. That doesn't bother me."

"That's awesome! So what's the damage, Esme? Tell me nicely," Bella said, cringing slightly as she waited for all the items to get scanned in by the goon squad. Their aprons actually said "goon squad" on them. Priceless, Bella thought. This had quickly become her favorite store. She'd definitely be returning for more things and perhaps a cooking class or two.

"Three thousand, two hundred ninety six dollars and seventy-three cents," Esme replied, singing the numbers as if it softened the blow. "But that's before the new New-Yorker discount, which brings it down to two thousand, six hundred thirty seven dollars and thirty eight cents. And the further Golden Retriever owner discount which brings it down to one thousand, eight hundred forty-six dollars and seventeen cents."

"Discount?" Bella asked, surprised. She was floored. This was practically half-off. "Why, thank you so much! That's very kind of you!"

"I'm the owner, I do what I like," Esme said, shrugging her shoulders. Bella handed over her new black Amex card which caused Esme's eyes to go wide. "Um, do you mind if I ask what you do for a living?"

"I'm an artist, mostly paintings," Bella replied. "I recently sold a series to a very generous collector. It funded my move, the purchase of my apartment, and the budget to furnish said apartment. And the collector wants another series and is willing to pay double what he paid for the first one."

"Damn, you must be a hell of a painter," Esme said, grinning.

"Or he's a hell of a sucker. One of the two," Bella joked. Esme laughed throatily.

"Well, if you're ever looking for a place to sell more art, we sell local art here, too. I'd be happy to put some of your pieces up on the walls… for a small percentage of course," Esme suggested.

Bella laughed. "Yes, of course. That's actually not a bad idea. When your 'goon squad' delivers the things to my place, I'll let them take some pictures of some of my pieces. Then you can decide if it's worthy to adorn your walls."

"That's an excellent plan. Speaking of which, what's your address? And when should they deliver them? I can have them go right now, if you're on your way home."

"Well, I have to stop off at another place to buy some materials to build my furniture. I can't very well make the mattress or couch cushions, but I can make the frames. Do you know of a place where I can score some free or super cheap wood pallets?"

"Oh, you're one of _those_…" Esme trailed off, squinting her golden eyes at Bella. What was it with this town and people with oddly coloured eyes?

"One of _those_? Those what?"

"Those DIY people that build everything instead of buying from stores. Hardworking store owners like myself suffer greatly because of the likes of you…" Bella could tell she was _mostly_ joking, but felt the need to quell some of her ire.

"Well, if I can build it myself, I do, but if my projects turn out to be disastrous, I'll buy what I need. That's why I'm here for one thing. I haven't mastered my blacksmith skills just yet, so I can't exactly make my own pots and pans." Esme laughed and was immediately back to her bubbly self.

"Fair enough. Well, I've a few pallets out back. I'll have one of the guys throw them in the truck with your other things. Otherwise, if you traipse up and down the alleys here, you can usually find some. They can be reused of course, but hardly any businesses go through the hassle of recycling them. Hell, we should sell them."

"I'll gladly buy them from you," Bella replied. "I'd be much happier giving you my pallet business than some other shop."

"Don't be silly, Bella. You're not paying me for those stupid things. I was just joking. But you mentioned you needed a mattress and couch cushions, right? My daughter owns a furniture shop just down the block. I'll bet she has just what you need. Shall we go?"

"You can just leave your store?" Bella asked.

"Of course I can. I own the place," she replied, sardonically. Bella gestured for her to lead the way and together they headed down the street, arm in arm, Jasper following along, panting happily.

Once they reached the store, aptly named:_ Everything but the Kitchen Sink,_ Esme pulled them both in, not bothering to have Bella tie Jasper up outside. Apparently her daughter was fine with dogs in the store, too. "Alice!" she called out. "Come meet my new friends Bella and Jasper." A woman who couldn't possibly have been Esme's biological daughter popped up from behind a counter. She smiled brightly at Bella and then frowned slightly when she saw Jasper.

"Well, I can't say I've ever met a woman named Jasper, so I assume he's Jasper and you're Bella."

"You got that right," Bella affirmed. "Esme here says you're the place to go for mattresses, couch cushions, et cetera." Alice agreed and showed her around while Esme took Jasper for a walk outside. She said there was a park not far from the shops and she'd take him there. Bella decided she trusted the woman enough to hand over the leash and advised her that there was a roll of baggies built into the leash should he need to do his business.

"Ew, but thank you," Esme said as she walked towards the door. Bella heard her mumble that she hoped she didn't have to use them.

"And if you get any hot guys' numbers because of my awesome dog, I fully expect you to share the wealth," Bella told her. She heard Esme's trilling laughter as the door closed.

Alice was more than helpful with picking out the perfect mattress and box-spring set, bedding, some curtains, and a few other things that Bella didn't feel like building herself, such as a lazy-boy recliner. All the pallets and fabric in the world couldn't replicate the comfort one felt in a Lazy-boy. She told Alice about her plans, and was admonished similarly to how Esme did it.

Once Esme returned with a very happy Jasper, Bella paid for her new purchases and was told that the same truck that would house all her _Kitchen Window_ items would also house her new _Everything but the Kitchen Sink_ purchases. Alice gave her an equally awesome discount on the items, but she still spent close to five-grand between the two shops.

The two sisters escorted Bella to the door, gave Jasper one last treat and invited her out to girls' night later that week. The invitation seemed genuine, so Bella made a mental note to be available that night. They mentioned something about dressing sexy, so that also meant a trip to a clothing store. It seemed as though the shopping would never end.

By the time she got home, the truck was waiting for her outside the apartment. The same two goons from Esme's place were leaning against the side of it, waiting patiently for her. "I should probably learn your names, instead of referring to you as the goon squad," she said to them.

One walked up and introduced himself as "Mister Esme." Apparently he was Esme's husband. He knelt down and patted Jasper on the head, letting the dog cover his face with kisses. "And this is 'Mister Alice,' Alice's husband." The other man nodded and smiled at Bella. Well if they weren't a pair. Clearly Esme and Alice wore the pants in those relationships. It made Bella like them even more.

"Well Misters Esme and Alice, shall we get all these things in my house?"

"Lead the way, ma'am," they chorused in unison. "I hope there's an elevator or that you're on the ground floor."

"Yes there is!" Bella exclaimed. "One of those awesome old-school freight ones that you have to slide up the grate for and everything."

They both beamed with excitement as they took arm loads of boxes and followed her inside. She offered to help carry things in, but they wouldn't hear of it. "You just open the doors and handle the elevator and we'll be good," Mister Esme said.

Bella did just that, and once they were all inside her apartment, she had Jasper lay on his bed in the corner and told him to "stay." As well-trained as he was, she didn't have to worry about him getting up from that spot until she said he could. Usually he obeyed, anyway. The men would carry in the boxes, put them where Bella directed them to and head back out for more. She followed along dutifully holding doors for them and taking care of working the elevator. Before long, all her purchases and the pallets made their way into the room.

"I feel like I should be making lemonade or something," she said to them after Mister Alice wiped his brow, though there didn't appear to be any sweat on his face.

"I think you watch too many pornos," he replied, chuckling.

"Ha, ha" she said, rolling her eyes. "I haven't any anyway. My next endeavor is grocery shopping."

"Call Emmett," Mister Esme said to Mister Alice. "He'll drive you wherever you need. No charge."

"No charge? How does that work?"

"You're one of us now," he said. "You made friends with our wives; you get to reap the benefits of that."

"I feel like you're inducting me into some Italian crime family or something," Bella joked. When neither of them laughed, and one of them cleared his throat, she continued. "But I'm sure I just watch far too much T.V. Sure, that'd be great. I'd love to not have to pay for a cab ride."

"Sure thing," Mister Alice replied. He stepped away to make the call while Bella poured the meager remains of her dog food supply into a brand new dog dish for Jasper. She made a mental note to add more food to the list, too.

Once they were all finished, Bella escorted them back downstairs, leaving Jasper behind. He whined unhappily, but quieted down quickly. "Here's Emmett now," Mister Alice said as a black SUV pulled up. Bella noticed the windows were tinted awfully dark. It seemed like either the CIA owned that car or the Mafia. Given the vibe she was getting, she wasn't entirely sure that her crime family joke from earlier was all that far from the truth. _Oh I hope everything I bought today wasn't hot; I hope that's not why they gave me such amazing discounts_, Bella thought.

Before she stepped towards the SUV, she saw the two Misters stiffen noticeably. She turned to see what made them on alert and saw the same man from earlier jogging towards them. _Jeez, that was hours ago, how long did this guy run every day?_ Bella wondered.

"Gentlemen," he greeted, a sly smile on his face.

"Whitlock," they replied, nodding slightly at him.

"How is it that you know dear Bella?" he asked. _Dear_ Bella?

"Um, I bought stuff from their wives' stores today," Bella answered when neither of them spoke.

"And how do _you_ know Bella?" Mister Esme asked, not bothering to hide the malice in his voice. He looked at Bella then, betrayal in his eyes.

"Just this morning," Bella said when now, this man didn't say anything. Jasper was his name, she remembered. "He was jogging by when I arrived. He said Jasper was beautiful and well-trained, and that was pretty much the extent of our conversation. I'd hardly say we _know_ each other. The fact that he has the same name as my dog is mere coincidence." She felt the need to defend herself to men she hardly knew.

"You also said that he was the best bodyguard," Jasper added, now glaring icily at Bella. "I'm curious as to why you need a bodyguard…"

"It was more of a joke than anything," Bella replied, confused by his change in demeanor. "And I am a single young woman living alone in New York City. I think having some kind of protection is a good idea. Lest I be carted off by some unsavory criminals and done away with. Now if you three don't mind, I'd like to get on with my errands for the day. Should I call a cab or is the offer of Emmett's car still on the table?" she asked the goon squad. Immediately rescinding back to their original title based on the way they were treating her. She folded her arms across her chest and quirked an eyebrow at them, daring them to continue their sour moods with her.

"Um, yes ma'am, you may still use Emmett. I'm sorry if we were rude, or insinuated that you weren't completely welcome." They both immediately relaxed, resuming their prior carefree attitudes. Jasper Whitlock, however, continued to steam.

"And you," she added, turning her chocolate eyes to Jasper. "I assume because I've seen you twice today that you must live in the neighborhood and therefore I'll be seeing you often. I don't know what this dick measuring contest is all about, but I won't have any of it. First of all, these two men are happily married to my two newest friends. Secondly, you don't know me; you don't get to have a claim on me. I'm not 'dear Bella' to you. As far as I'm concerned, you may address me as Ms. Swan. Is that clear?" Bella knew that she had to show the people of New York that she wasn't some naïve, mousy, inexperienced mid-western girl. She was smart, both book-wise and street-wise, and she wasn't about to get trampled on by anyone, least of all these three.

The sly smile reappeared on his face but he nodded in agreement. "My apologies, Ms. Swan. I'll let you continue your day." He nodded to her and to the goon squad before continuing his jog down the street.

"Well, that was interesting," Bella muttered to herself. "You'll tell your wives that I'll see them at girls' night?" she asked the Misters.

"Yes, of course, Ms. Swan," Mister Alice replied.

"You guys can call me Bella," she said. "I don't know what's up that guy's arse, but I don't' like it."

They chuckled, thanked her for her business and motioned to Emmett to get out of the SUV and open the door. Bella couldn't be certain, but she thought she heard the distinct sound of a gun being un-cocked, the magazine dropped out of it. Was Emmett packing? And did he cock his gun when the almost-altercation went down? Bella worried that she might have actually landed in the middle of something she had no business in.

* * *

Well, what did you think? How deep does the dischord between the Cullens and the Whitlocks go? Who else will we meet in this story?


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter 2... I have a few chapters already written, just have to make some alterations here and there to make it a Twilight-Fic. A bit of Jasper's PoV at the end here. :)

* * *

Chapter 2: Errands and other disasters

As she approached the black SUV, a large man hopped out of the driver's side. He could have been an all American football player. "You must be Isabella," he greeted, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. His hand was ice cold and hard as a rock. What was that about?

"Yes, I am," she replied, "But I prefer Bella. You're Emmett?"

"Yes, ma'am, and it's my job to make sure you get where you need to go today, and get there safely."

"Perfetto." Emmett led her to the passenger side rear door and opened it for her. Oh great, she was to be chauffeured around the city in a darkly tinted SUV. If only her sister could see her now.

"You speak Italian?" he asked.

"Sì, sono nata a Firenze," she replied, answering his question twofold. "But I'm afraid my accent needs a little work. I was raised here in the states for much of my life."

"Your family name?" he asked.

"Swan," she replied. "My father's father was not Italian, and neither is my mother."

"Ah, but you are still Italian, and that's what matters," he said. That was the second time that as much was said to her that day.

They fell into companionable silence while Emmett navigated the streets and finally pulled up outside a fresh market. "They have the best of everything here," Emmett said. "My cousin is one of the vendors. You'll not find better tomatoes in Italy herself."

Bella pulled her canvas shopping bags out of her purse and began to stroll through the market, speaking with various vendors. Emmett kept up with her, offering his perspective on certain vendors and what items to steer clear of. "They buy them from the market in uptown, and then double the price, claiming they grew them organically. Liars," he told her under his breath at one of the booths.

They came upon Emmett's cousin's booth and Bella was floored with the quality of tomatoes he had. Emmett wasn't lying when he said she couldn't find better tomatoes in Italy herself. She immediately wanted to run home and make a tomato sandwich. The big-boys were as red as one could get and looked so juicy. "The name's Carmen," the vendor greeted.

"Bella," she replied. "These look amazing." She exchanged pleasantries with the woman, once again explaining the origin of her name. As soon as the woman learned she was Italian, even only a small part, she gave her half a dozen tomatoes for free. It turned out being Italian in this town would benefit her in more ways than one. She thought of taking on her grandmother's maiden name, Azzarà, and it would probably make things even better. What was weird though was all of the people she'd met, apart from the Whitlock guy had golden eyes. Like birds of prey.

"I just love these bags!" one woman said as she was filling Bella's bag with fresh lettuce, onions, potatoes, strawberries and some beans, effectively pulling Bella out of her thoughts. "Where did you get them?"

"I made them actually," Bella answered. She'd bought canvas fabric to stretch her own for paintings and often used the leftovers to make reusable shopping bags. She'd then mix fabric medium into her paints and paint designs on them, to make them more unique.

"Well, if you ever make enough to sell, I'd love to buy some," the woman replied. "My customers would love them, too." Bella smiled at her and made a mental note to stop by at this booth the next time she shopped as well. Provided her produce was up to snuff as well.

Her assumptions on what New York would be like were very far from her experiences since she arrived. She expected to get ignored by the general populace and treated poorly by almost everyone she encountered. Every stereotype she'd heard indicated that New Yorkers were tough, that they put themselves before anyone else, and that if you weren't one of them, you were completely shunned, almost.

But then again, perhaps she really did watch too much television, or read too many trashy romance novels. This New York was happy and joyful most of the time. And she also knew that she'd only seen a fraction of a percentage of the people here, and they hardly spoke for the millions that inhabited the city.

Emmett helped carry the bags back to the car and took her to a pet store where she procured several large bags of dog food. She didn't know how often Emmett might be at her disposal, and the last thing she wanted to do was carry one of these things on a subway or even in a cab. So she figured it was smart to stock up.

The last stop was at an art supply store, another of Emmett's suggestions when she mentioned she was a painter. She needed canvas, frames, some paints and new brushes. Emmett knew the owner here as well, who ensured she got the new New-Yorker and the Italian discount once again. It only furthered her suspicions that she inadvertently got dropped in the middle of something that she wasn't sure she belonged in. But she couldn't help how friendly and welcoming everyone was being. They all treated her as if she were one of their own, not an outsider, not a stranger, but part of the family. She liked that, having come from a small town, herself.

Finally, Emmett took her back home and helped carry all her purchases into the house. She went to give him a tip, but he put the money back in her purse. "You don't need to tip me, Bella. You're one of us. Whenever you need me again, just call this number," he told her, handing her a business card. "I'm happy to help you shop, or take you wherever you need to go." Wow.

She thanked him by kissing his cheek, which was just as cold and hard as his hands, and sent him on his way with a half-sandwich that she had to nearly beg him to take. After putting away all the groceries, feeding Jasper once again, Bella was exhausted. She kicked off her shoes, threw a blanket down on the bare mattress and passed out within minutes.

By morning, she felt rested and refreshed, but still a little sore from all the moving and the lifting. Even though Emmett and the Misters did much of the heavy-lifting, it still took a toll on her. She decided that after breakfast, she'd take Jasper for a run, and then hit up some clothing stores to expand her measly wardrobe a bit.

After dressing in yoga pants a racer-back top, a hoodie and sneakers, Bella donned her headphones, grabbed Jasper's leash and they headed out into the early morning air. She was still sore from the day before, but Jasper needed the exercise, and she wasn't about to let him suffer because she felt like being lazy.

Once outside, she stretched her legs a bit, cracked her neck, and took off towards the park that Esme had taken Jasper to the day before. As she ran, she passed by none other than Jasper Whitlock, the too-good-looking-for-his-own-good jerk.

"Ms. Swan!" he exclaimed, slowing down to talk with her. "How are you this fine morning?"

Bella made a show of removing her headphones, as if it was a huge bother. And in essence, it was… she didn't like being disturbed while running. But it gave her more time to look him over while she kept up her antics. His hair was wild around his face, but perfect. His porcelain skin was flawless, not even a single freckle. "I'm fine thank you," she replied cordially, repelling her thoughts of him. "And yourself?"

"Much better now," he answered. Bella stifled an eye-roll. "I trust that the Cullen brothers were accommodating yesterday?" _Accommodating_? What the hell did that mean? She choked down her venomous remarks to that statement by staring at his mouth. Full lips pulled up in a slight smirk, it looked as though there was a scar on his upper lip. She wondered at the origin of it.

"Cullen Brothers?" she asked, confused. "Oh, you mean Esme and Alice's husbands? Yes, they were fine, thank you." Bella realized she never learned their actual names, just called them Misters Esme and Alice. Why was that? "It seems to be quite the rivalry you have with them. Did they steal your lunch money as a kid?" She tried to keep the subject light, as she didn't actually want to know the truth. Or did she?

"Something like that," he replied. "I've known them and their wives a very long time. Tell me, Ms. Swan, what are your plans for the day?" One of his perfectly groomed eyebrows quirked up in curiosity. This man was too much.

"After my run, I need to do some more un-packing and organizing, then go buy some clothes. I didn't bring much with me, figuring I'd just replenish my wardrobe here." Bella wondered why he was so curious about her connection with the Cullen brothers. She didn't even know their name was Cullen; shouldn't that have been answer enough?

"I'll let you get to it then," he replied, nodding his head at her and taking off in the opposite direction. She sighed as she fought staring at him again. It did no good to ogle him; it would only fuel him further. She shook her head to rid herself of his image and continued her run. An interesting move this would be, if he continued to be a presence in her life.

Back at home, she took a quick shower, happy that the water was steadily hot and had a good pressure behind it. Her thoughts went back to the mystery that was Jasper Whitlock. During that run, he was wearing a loose fitting sleeveless t-shirt and basketball shorts. She got her first good look at his arms and definitely liked what she saw. He had sinewy muscles that were chiseled from stone. The kind she liked to squeeze her hands around during… _No, Bella… do not go there with him. He's got danger written all over him._

His surname told her that he was not Italian, unlike everyone she'd met the day before. Perhaps that was what their rivalry was about. Whitlock sounded like a southern name. He was a southerner in Yankee country. Surely it couldn't be as archaic as that, right?

She gave Jasper plenty of food and water, patted him on the head and went off to find some clothes fit for a social life in New York City. With not spending as much as she thought she would on furniture and kitchen things, her budget for clothing was quite a bit bigger.

At the first store, Saks on 5th Avenue, Bella was admiring a pair of Jimmy Choo's that would obliterate her entire budget, until she got her commission for the next series anyway. The sucker was going to pay her a million dollars for seven paintings. The sales lady who had helped her try on several pairs of shoes was busy at the counter speaking with some burly man in a pinstripe suit. Apart from a doctor with a time-travelling blue box, who still even wore those anymore?

She went back to perusing the area and decided to splurge on a few things. She could use her credit card and then when the money came in from the buyer, she'd have more than enough to cover it. "I'll take all this," she told the sales agent. She handed the woman her credit card and looked dreamily at all the items she bought. Never in her life had she been able to afford such things. And now, here she was, living in New York, city of dreams, and all of hers were coming true.

"Just sign here, please," the sales lady stated, handing over the sales slip. Bella signed it absentmindedly, and told the sales lady to simply put the receipt in one of the bags. Afterwards, she hit up three more stores, not bothering to have the clerks even tell her the amount she owed. She didn't want to know.

At the end of the day, she returned home with more purchases than sense, and wondered what the hell she was thinking. "I'd better look at the receipts, at least prepare myself for the damage that is sure to appear on my credit card receipt," she said aloud. Jasper arfed at her, as the sole indicator that she could at least say she was talking to him and not to herself.

She fished the receipts out of each bag and set them on the table. Heaving a worried sigh, she sat down, pulled out her calculator and tallied up the totals. "Two hundred grand! Oh my god. Two Hundred grand?!" She knew then and there that she'd have to return more than half of what she bought. Even with her new commission coming in, she couldn't afford that much of a splurge. _Or I could claim credit card fraud,_ she thought. No, that would only end up badly for her, she added.

Glancing at the receipts, she noticed that something was off. All of them stated "amex" as the charge type, and the last four digits of the card number did not match her card. Every single one of them had the same card number, but she knew it wasn't her card.

"Well, what on earth?" she asked aloud. Not wanting to get caught up in some identity theft scandal, she called the first store she visited. "Yes, hello. I made a rather large purchase at your shop today, and I was just looking at the receipt. The card number does not match my information. I'm thinking that the wrong card got charged by mistake?"

"Just let me look into that ma'am," the sales clerk replied. Bella couldn't tell if it was the same person who had helped her earlier. "Oh yes, is this Miss Swan?"

"Yes," Bella answered.

"Yes, I was not supposed to inform you, but seeing as you figured it out on your own, I suppose there's no harm in you knowing now. Your purchases were paid for by an anonymous benefactor."

"What?!" Bella bellowed.

"I wasn't given a name, only payment information," the lady replied. "And as far as I know, said anonymous benefactor was paying for all of your purchases today."

"Yes, the same information is on all of my receipts," Bella stated.

"Well, lucky you! I hope you figure out who it was. I'd be interested to know!" Bella ignored her gossipy tone, thanked her, and ended the call. Who on earth could be paying for all her things? She checked her slips from the day before and noticed that it was her own information on the receipts. So whoever decided to pay for her things did not do so the day before.

"What do you think, Jazz?" she asked the golden retriever, who was lying at her feet, panting happily. She thought about her day and scanned her memory for any indication of who was behind the generous gift. Then she remembered the burly man in the pin-stripe suit at Saks. Thinking it over, she saw him cock his head in her direction as he spoke to the sales woman. She nodded and smiled while she listened and took a black Amex card from him.

Okay, who the hell was he and why did he pay for her purchases? As she thought about the rest of the day, she had seen him at least two more times at other stores. And if he was the man behind this, then he was likely lurking about at all the places she went to.

"Jazz, let's go for a walk," she said to her dog, who immediately hopped up off the floor and was prancing about excitedly. She quickly changed into her workout gear and led the dog outside, hoping that Mr. Burly Pinstripes would still be nearby. As she walked through the neighborhood, sure enough, she saw him sitting on a park bench.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I beg your pardon, ma'am," he said, removing his stereotypical fedora. "Have we met?"

"No we haven't, and that's precisely my point. Why did you pay for all my purchases today?" She glared at him, crossed her arms and tapped her foot, expectantly. He didn't reply right away, instead took his time giving her the once over, in a very lewd manner. Bella rolled her eyes at him. She did notice that his eyes were burgundy. Just like… just like Jasper Whitlock. _Oh that little shit!_ Bella thought.

"I'm sure I've no idea what you're talking about," he replied, his eyes glistening. He was smirking at her, daring her to continue.

"Yes you do. Either you or someone you work for paid for my things today, and I demand to know who. And trust me buster, you do _not_ want to cross me."

The man regarded her as if deciding whether or not she was even worth the effort. "Jasper Whitlock," he whispered. "He's my boss. He's the one that wanted to buy your shit today."

"Mm hmm, thank you for your cooperation, Sir," she replied, bowing to him and returning home.

"I want you to find out as much about her as you can," Jasper Whitlock told his second-in-command Peter Whitlock. "Her name is Bella Swan, she just moved here. She shopped at the Cullens' shops, man. I need to know if she's an associate of theirs or if it really was a coincidence. Does she work for the Volturi?" When he ran into her that morning, jogging with her dog, she seemed so genuinely innocent, but then again, some people were very good actors.

"Got it, Major," Peter replied, hanging up the phone. Jasper had never had a woman affect him the way Bella had in just a short time. Even when he first laid eyes on her when she got out of the cab, he knew she was something special. And then when she so clearly put him in his place, calling him out on his "dick measuring contest" with the Cullen brothers, he just knew she had to be his. One way or another. But first, he had to make sure that she was truly an innocent. And then he'd make sure she remained innocent. He'd do his damnedest to never let her see the evil that lurked behind those Italian scum.

He wondered if she was Italian, whether her parents named her Bella because they just liked the name, or if they were from that area of Italy. Or perhaps she chose the name herself. More and more people were changing their names, simply because they could. She certainly looked like she could be Italian. Long auburn hair with hints of dark mahogany in it, big brown eyes that sliced right through his soul, and beautiful skin the color of honey cream. Just enough color in her skin to give away that she was not simply Caucasian, but there was something else in her roots.

Even beneath the baggy t-shirt and jeans she wore, he could tell she had a hell of a figure. Curves in all the right places, tight muscles in others. When she folded her arms across her chest before berating him, he could see hints of definition in her upper arms. The woman took care of herself, and from her demeanor, he could tell she was a force to be reckoned with. The kind of woman that wouldn't put up with any shit from anyone, including him. And that was exactly the kind of woman he needed.

As he thought about the mahogany haired beauty, he gazed upon the new paintings that had arrived earlier that week that now had a home on the walls of his office. He'd visited a gallery in Chicago while on a business trip and found this series of paintings. They were bold and colorful, full of meaning and emotion. Whoever painted them truly had a gift. The artist had chosen to remain anonymous and only dealt with him through an agent, who was excellent at confidentiality. The woman didn't even give away whether the artist was a man or woman. Though the paintings had a certain feminine quality to them, making him think they were done at the hands of a woman. A woman scorned.

Each canvas was signed and dated, but the artist used a pseudonym of the word Destiny. No one at the gallery knew Destiny's true identity as the work was only ever delivered by the agent Destiny worked with. Jasper knew the agent wasn't the artist in disguise, as Miss Weber didn't have an artistic bone in her body.

He'd even tried to track the payment of the paintings to find out the name on the bank account, but rather than banking the check, it was cashed. Someone was walking around with five hundred thousand dollars in cash, or was smart about it and didn't deposit it all in one other bank account. Whoever this Destiny was went a long way to hide his or her identity for reasons unknown. Miss Weber said it was because he or she wanted to remain anonymous. He or she didn't paint for the money, but for the love of the art.

Jasper had already made arrangements for Destiny to be commissioned for another series of paintings. One that would adorn the walls of his restaurant. After seeing this artist's work, he knew that the style would be perfect for Whitlock's, which would be opening in a few months. The artist had promised to have them done by then, especially when Jasper put a price of a million dollars on them.

He found that money, depending on the amount, could get any deadline moved up. Destiny apparently didn't do commissions, but when he threw out the dollar amount; his or her mind was changed almost immediately. Yeah, money truly did make the world go 'round.

"I've emailed you the file, Major," Peter said when Jasper answered his call.

"Good work," Jasper replied and hung up. He went to his computer and called up the email program. He read through the file provided on Bella Swan and was very pleased with what he found.

"Isabella Marie Swan, date of birth February 19, 1988. Daughter of Renee and Charles Swan," he read aloud. He went on to read that she was born in Florence, and lived in Italy for two years before her father was reassigned to a post in the states. Sheboygan, Wisconsin, wherever that was. Peter knew his boss well, and knew that he'd want information on the girl's parents as well. Renee was born to an Argentine pastor and an American southern debutant. Charles was only half Italian, Sicilian at that, though. His Italian ancestors were from the Azzarà family. Not a name Jasper was familiar with, but it helped knowing that her roots were truly in Italy. How much did she know about her heritage though?

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in Art History at the age of nineteen. Clearly an over-achiever. He thought about that and figured that was one of those degrees that one really couldn't do much with. There was little information as to the motivation behind her move to the big city, nor any connections with the Cullen family. He was relieved at that last part. If she was only friends with them, and not associated in any other way, he was free to pursue her without their backlash.

"Peter," he stated when his associate picked up the phone. "Find out where she's shopping today. Follow her around casually, and make sure all her purchases are paid for."

Three hours later, he learned his credit card had been charged a total of twenty-seven times, each purchase amounting to at least five thousand dollars if not thrice that. Damn, the woman could spend money. "Major," Peter croaked as he stepped into Jasper's office. The look on his face told him something bad had happened.

"What the fuck did you do?"

"Somehow your girl figured out that her credit card wasn't being charged at any of the stores. She demanded to know who was paying for all her shit, and when I wouldn't tell her, she gave me a look that told me if I were human she'd have beat the shit outta me She's a hell of a woman boss, don't let go of her." She was a feisty fire-cracker, Bella Swan. And it made him want her all the more.

* * *

So, what do you think Jasper is a part of? And are the Cullens really part of the Volturi? Or are they just innocents that were pulled into a grander scheme?


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay on this one folks. I was having troubles with where to go with this chapter, so it took a little longer than normal. Enjoy!

SM is the stage; I am merely a player.

* * *

Chapter 3: Girls' night out and unwelcome attentions

"How long has it been since we heard from Alice Cullen?" Aro asked.

"A few weeks, no more," Caius replied. "Hardly enough time to warrant an update, or a visit."

"And I thought I was the mind reader, brother," Aro mused.

Caius chuckled. "Well, I've been sitting to your left for only a couple thousand years, one might pick up on a few common personality traits, brother."

"Nevertheless, I think I'll give her a call," he decided. As if she'd been in the room hearing the conversation, the phone rang, Alice's number blinking on the caller ID. "My dear Alice, it's as if you knew I wanted to call you."

Alice giggled. "You know I did Aro. I understand you're curious about what's going on here."

"Yes," he replied. "Something gave me an inkling that I should call or decide to call and get an update."

"There's a human girl that's moved into the area. I can't see why yet, but she'd going to be very important to us, and to you."

"Does she know what we are?" Caius hissed.

Alice sighed, "Of course not, Caius. She's completely oblivious, though she doesn't seem to have the same adversity towards us as most humans do. It's really as if she has zero self preservation instincts. I mean she called out Peter Whitlock."

"What?! What is she doing associating with the Whitlocks?" Aro demanded.

"It was sheer happenstance, Aro, I assure you. She moved into a warehouse apartment in No Man's Land. Jasper Whitlock happened to be strolling by and he caught her eye. She's very pretty, already looks like a vampire almost, so naturally, she piqued his interest. Her bold personality and no-nonsense attitude has made him even more interested. But worry not, I have a plan."

Alice was lying to Aro. She didn't have a plan. Not really. Other than befriending Bella and hoping to slowly indoctrinate her into the world of Vampires and the Volturi, she didn't have a clue. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see Bella. Not at all. She could see visions with Bella in them, but never anything directly about her. It was as if she was blocking her without even knowing it.

"Alice! Esme! Hi! What a surprise!" Bella exclaimed after the two women had knocked on her door the morning after her Whitlock sponsored shopping spree. "Come on in!"

"We brought coffee," Alice offered, holding up a large cup from the Java Joe's joint down the road.

"Oh that smells amazing; you're a goddess. Thank you," Bella replied, gratefully. She took the proffered cup and sipped it carefully. "What is in this? Crack?"

The two women laughed. "My daughter-in-law Rosalie runs the coffee shop, so her recipes are top-secret. Also, I may have added a shot of my homemade hooch. It's caramel flavored," Esme admitted. She was excited to have the chance to use the cooking skills she'd acquired through the years of hosting the classes at her store. Homemade alcohol was one of the more recent classes.

"Did you go on a shopping spree without me?" Alice asked, pouting. She gazed around the room at all the shopping bags, some from very high-end stores. She wondered how much money Bella really had.

"Well, sort of," Bella replied. "Jasper Whitlock apparently paid for everything." Alice and Esme shared a glance. "What is it with that guy, anyway? I've barely shared ten words with him and he spends two hundred grand on me. Granted, I wasn't really paying attention to what I was buying and thought I was paying for it myself, but still."

"You didn't know you were spending that much?" Alice asked.

Bella shrugged. "I chose not to pay attention to the receipts or the amounts on the registers until I got home. I was having too much fun. Back home, there are no shops like the ones here, and I never had the money to go to the few that were on the higher end. I had planned to look at the damage when I got home and return whatever wasn't absolutely necessary.

"But then, I checked the receipts and saw that it wasn't my card details listed on any of them. I called one of the shops and they told me that my purchases had been covered by an anonymous benefactor. A call to a few more shops and I knew for sure. I remembered a burly guy following me around all day in a pinstripe suit. I mean, really, how obvious and stereotypical can you be? So I figured if he'd been following me all day, he probably was casing my house, so I went outside to look for him."

"You did what?!" Alice and Esme chorused in unison.

"Calm down; nothing happened," Bella reassured. "I found him on a park bench and persuaded him to tell me who paid for my items. He tried to act like he didn't know what I was talking about, but I got it out of him."

Alice and Esme looked at Bella like she sprouted a second head. "How did you persuade him?" Alice asked suggestively, winking at Bella.

"Not like _that_, gross! I got a little… angry with him. Truly, it surprised me how little effort it took for me to get him to talk. I was prepared to get violent if need be, but all I did was give him 'the look' and he sang like a canary. For a guy as big as he was, he was just a marshmallow."

The two vampires blinked at her in surprise. How could one little human get Captain Peter Whitlock to just spill his guts about his boss like that? _She must have a hell of a look_, Esme thought.

"So what do you say to girls' night tonight?" Esme asked, deciding to change the topic. "Rosalie will join us there. She had to work today."

"Okay, I know it's not possible that you have full-grown children unless you've got a hell of a plastic surgeon," Bella commented.

"No plastic surgery, no. My husband and I adopted our children when they were teenagers. I unfortunately was not blessed with the ability to have my own children, so we got ours another way. They were just foster children at first, but then we took them in permanently," Esme explained, wrapping her arm affectionately around Alice's shoulders.

Bella's eyebrows hit her hairline. "You and your husband adopted _teenagers_?! That has to be the noblest thing I have ever heard. I can't even imagine. What are the others' names?"

"Well you've met most of them already. Alice is my youngest, the next oldest is Emmett. I believe you met him the other day. It gets kind of weird though. Edward was our first son, and then he married Alice… can't fight matters of the heart, right? Emmett met Rosalie while on a bear hunting trip in Tennessee and married her a few months later. She saved him from nearly being mauled by a bear. Just wait until you meet her. I'm sure you'll just love her."

"So… two of your children are married… to each other?" Bella asked, confused. "I'm not judging, just trying to understand the family tree."

"Rosalie is ours, too," Esme answered. "She was only seventeen and a run-away. Her parents disowned her, and she had no other relatives. She was basically living in that forest when she found Emmett and the bear." Bella was amazed. She already liked Esme a lot, but once she learned how caring and selfless she was, she became a near-goddess in her eyes.

"SO your husband's name is Carlisle, and Alice, yours is Edward?" Bella asked.

Esme was confused. "You met them the other day."

"Yes, but they introduced themselves as Mister Esme and Mister Alice," Bella replied.

"So it'll be you two, Rosalie, and me going to girls' night?" Bella asked.

Alice nodded. "The boys usually find a way to crash the night though. Even though we never tell them where we're going, they always find out somehow. We should have a good two to three hours to ourselves though." Bella felt a little left out at that. Alice and Esme were both married, as was Rosalie, who she had yet to meet. Bella would be the odd-one-out. Unless Jasper showed up, which given his short but consistent track record, he would. She hadn't decided how to feel about him yet. It was obvious that he was into her, why else would he drop two-hundred grand on her and not immediately demand she return the items and give his money back?

"Bella! You have got to wear this tonight!" Alice exclaimed, pulling out a purple mini-dress that she bought at the Chanel store. "Where are the shoes you bought?" Bella pointed to a pile of shoe boxes next to where her shoe rack was going to be built. Alice dashed over there faster than seemed possible and began digging through the shoes. She found a pair of silver Louboutins with purple lace wrapped around the toe. They matched the dress perfectly. Alice squealed in delight.

"We'll have to put rollers in your hair. Do you have any?" Alice asked. Bella shook her head, taking another sip of coffee. She didn't have any girly products like that. Just shampoo, conditioner, a blow dryer and a brush. She never was much for bothering with that stuff. Didn't even have any make up. Telling Alice all this, the pixie of a woman groaned in exasperation and dragged Bella out of her warehouse apartment, Jasper the dog in tow and to her own home a few blocks away.

Edward was at the door when he heard his wife, mother and another person coming through the door. "Ali, what are you doing home?" he asked.

"Bella needs help getting ready for girls' night," his wife answered. "She has awesome clothes, but no hair care products, make up, or anything else that is vital for this process." She said that as an accusation towards the girl in question. Bella simply shrugged in response.

"I lived in a small town in Wisconsin, Alice, and was constantly covered in paint from all my projects. I didn't go out, I hardly had friends. I never had much of a reason to get all dolled up. Plus, my mother wouldn't know which end of a curling iron to hold until she got her hand burned off." Alice and Edward exchanged a look. Bella was beginning to wonder what this family's silent communications were about.

"Well, life is about to change for you, Ms. Swan," Alice declared. "You're one of us now." She yanked her through to her bedroom where she placed Bella at the vanity. "You just sit, relax and enjoy yourself."

"Can I take Jasper for a walk?" Edward asked.

"Yes! Please do!" Bella agreed, handing over the reins. Jasper yipped happily as he followed Edward out of the house.

"I just feel the need to mention how hilarious it is that your dog is named Jasper," Alice mentioned. "I mean, if you get together with Jasper Whitlock, and you call out his name, both of them will be coming!" She began laughing hysterically. Bella didn't see why it was _that_ funny, but Alice laughing so hard made her start laughing, too.

Alice whirled around her, curling hair, applying eye shadow, dabbing lip gloss, and fussing over how perfect Bella's skin was. "You don't even have freckles. This is amazing." Bella took a close look at Alice's face when she had a moment. The dark haired girl was perfection. Her honey colored eyes seemed to sparkle with glee. She noticed that the others she'd met so far all had honey colored eyes, what was with that? Jasper and his marshmallow of a cohort both had burgundy eyes. Both of these were colors that Bella had never seen before. Maybe that was the root of this apparent family feud they had going. It seemed silly, but most family feuds began over something ridiculous.

After two hours, Bella was ready for girls' night. Alice seemed to take only minutes to get ready, but Bella figured she was used to doing all this stuff and so it didn't take her long to get ready. Edward reappeared with a happy Jasper, "This dog is great, Bella. He's so friendly! And if I wasn't already happily married to the most beautiful woman in the world, I'd have about seven or eight dates lined up. There was even one that said she didn't care that I was married."

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen!" Alice barked. "Were you flirting?"

"No love, no. It's the dog. He's a natural at flirting. All he had to do was smile and wag his tail and the ladies came running. Literally. There were two that were running towards us from across the park, trying to race each other. It was rather humorous. Alice, you know I love you and only you." Bella stepped out of the room during their exchange. The "I love yous" turned into kisses and it looked as though that would lead to other things, so she conveniently found herself in the kitchen. Esme was there, finding a bowl to put water in for Jasper.

She set the bowl down and Jasper lapped at it happily. Scratching behind his ears she said, "Sorry I don't have any biscuits for you, Jasper. I'll have some on hand next time." Esme smiled at Bella and then went about her preparations for the evening. Bella felt a bit of motherly love towards the woman and felt odd going to a girls' night out with her. She felt as if she shouldn't drink or get too rowdy.

Emmett and Carlisle came home then, greeting Bella as they went to find their wives. Bella stayed with Jasper, absently petting his back as he sat next to her. "Good to see you old sport," Carlisle said to Jasper as he came back in the room. "Does he need to be walked?" Jasper's ears perked up.

"Edward took him just a bit ago, but Jasper here will never say no to a W-O-K."

"Don't you mean—"

"Nope," Bella said, cutting him off. "He can spell it in English, so I have to be sneaky," she added with a wink. Carlisle chuckled.

"Well, I'd love to take him for another one. Do you have his leash?" Bella nodded grabbing it from the counter. Jasper jumped around happily, excited to be going on yet another walk with his new friends. Bella was glad that he was taking to the Cullens so well. She was completely at ease with them, and therefore so was Jasper. "Emmett, grab a tennis ball," he called out as he led Jasper out the door. Emmett came bounding through the hall, a tennis ball in hand.

"Hi Bells… Bye Bells," he said, grinning like an idiot as he followed his dad out, tossing a tennis ball in his hand. Bella shook her head. Poor Jasper was going to get the workout of his life.

Esme and Alice emerged from their rooms, fully ready for the evening. Alice was wearing a black dress covered in black sequins that hugged her tiny frame, giving curves that she didn't necessarily have. Bella thought she was rather flat-chested and lacking in the curvaceous area, but Alice was downright boyish without the right attire, her short spiky hair didn't help matters, but her face was very feminine. Esme was wearing a midnight blue mini dress with silver jewels around the neck line. She already had luscious curves and the dress only accentuated them. Her golden caramel hair was curled in big waves and pinned back from her face with clips that matched the jewels on her dress.

Once they arrived at the club, the ladies dispersed, promising to meet up at their reserved VIP table in a few minutes. Alice told Bella to get her libations and then Rosalie would be at the table and they'd head out to the dance-floor.

Bella made a beeline for the bar, knowing she'd need a good few drinks in her system before she even considered dancing. This place was known for their margaritas, so she ordered a top-shelf standard margarita on the rocks. "Salt on the rim?" the bartender asked.

"As if there's any other way," Bella replied, giggling. The bartender smiled and got to making the drink. "The name's Bella," she added, offering her hand.

"James," he replied, taking her hand in his and lightly kissing it. "James Hunter. You're new to New York, aren't you? Most women don't introduce themselves quite like this."

Bella noticed his hands and lips were ice cold. Just like Alice and Esme. What was with that? Was being cold all the time a new fashion trend or something? If so, Bella wanted no part of that. "Um yeah, just moved from Wisconsin. Aspiring artist, just like so many. Though unlike most, I already have a job here."

"Oh yeah? Doing what?" He'd finished her drink and handed it over.

Bella took a sip, smiling at the delicious flavors. "This is perfect, thank you. Um, I'm a painter. I got commissioned to do the artwork for a restaurant that's opening up soon. The guy bought out my gallery in Wisconsin, which paid for my move out here and is paying me quite a bit for the new series, so it warranted a move out here to see what else I could discover. What do I owe you?" She pulled her wallet out of a hidden pocket in her dress

"It's ladies' night," James replied. "Your drinks are free."

"Wow, even the top-shelf ones?" James nodded. "Awesome. Well, James, it's been real. I'll definitely be back." She winked at him and placed a ten dollar bill in his tip jar. James smiled and thanked her, only his grin took on a bit of a sinister quality. Bella chocked it up to the weird lighting.

Alice approached as Bella turned away from the bar. "There you are. We've been waiting at the table for you. I thought you got lost!" She seemed truly concerned.

"No, I was just at the bar getting this." She held up her drink. "And chatting with the bartender, James."

"James Hunter?" Alice asked, worried again. She leaned over and sniffed the drink.

"Um, yeah. I think that's what he said his last name was. Long blond hair, tied in the back, pale skin, handsome. Kinda dark though." Bella remembered that she couldn't really see his eyes. The lighting made it so there was a shadow right where his eyes were. That definitely added to the darkness about him.

Alice threaded her arm through Bella's. "Just be careful. He does have a dark side. A very dark side." Bella thought she saw Alice turn back towards the bar and give James some hand signal. Stay Away, was the message she got from it. Why would Bella need to be protected from James? He seemed harmless enough. Until that last smile, anyway. And this was New York, home of many a crazy and cruel criminal. She had better stick with the girls for the rest of the evening. As a group, they'd keep each other safe. As they walked, Bella noticed that Alice's entire body was cold. Her hip and thigh would brush up against hers every couple steps, and she felt no warmth, only cold.

"Bella, this is Rosalie," Esme said, standing up and gesturing to the blonde next to her. Bella's mouth hit the floor.

"Um, hi. I'm Bella. You're gorgeous."

Rosalie's hand met Bella's, and she learned it was equally as cold as the rest of them. "Thanks, Bella. Right back atcha," she replied with a smile. "Welcome to girls' night out. Well, at least until the boys come crash it."

"I don't know if they will," Esme added. "They're all pretty taken with Bella's dog, Jasper. I think he'll keep them occupied for the evening."

"They're going to wear him out," Bella said, laughing. "I'll have to carry him into my apartment later."

She finished her first drink and like magic, another one appeared. "I grabbed it for you on my way from the bathroom," Alice told her. Bella couldn't help but wonder if her friend did that so she wouldn't have to see James again. Alice barely knew her, but she was already treating her like a close friend, one she'd protect at any costs. It made Bella happy, because she knew she'd do exactly the same for Alice, Esme, and now even Rosalie.

After her third drink, she felt ready to get on the dance-floor. She noticed the other women had all been nursing the same drink the entire night. It made her feel like a lush in comparison, when she hardly ever drank. Rosalie yanked her out of her seat with more force then necessary and nearly sent her catapulting into the nearest male. "Whoops! Sorry, Bella. Guess I don't know my own strength sometimes. Are you alright?"

Bella shook her head. "I guess not…. But yes I'm fine." She was going to have a bruise on her arm where Rosalie grabbed her, but that was nothing new. She'd gotten over her clumsy phase that was most of her childhood, but she still found ways to trip over thin air every now and then.

Alice and Esme were dancing happily when Rosalie and Bella joined them. Bella felt loose enough after her three margaritas to join in the fun. She began swaying her hips to the beat and letting her hair fly all over. She felt cold hands on her hips and figured one of the girls was dancing with her. She swung her hips around more freely, letting her fall over one shoulder. She went to move backwards when she felt something against her rear that definitely did not belong on a female body. When she looked up, she saw Alice, Rosalie and Esme glaring at something above her. She turned her head, and there was Jasper Whitlock.

She pulled herself out of his grasp and turned to face him. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" She demanded.

"Um, what?" Jasper asked.

"When did I give you permission to dance with me? And where do you get off spending two hundred grand on me? You don't know me; you're not my boyfriend. Ever hear of, 'Hey Bella, I like you. Would you like to go on a date?' and that could possibly lead to dancing like this. And then after a very long courtship after which we decide we're going to be in an exclusive relationship with each other would it be permissible for you to spend money on me, and vice versa.

"But no, you've got more money than sense and figure the way to my heart is through anonymously buying me shit and sneaking up on me at a club. Not acceptable." Jasper Whitlock tried to touch her arm, but she flicked his hand away. "Do not touch me. Alice, Rosalie, Esme, I'm sorry. I'm going home. Thank you for tonight. Up until a few minutes ago, I was having the time of my life. I'll see you all soon.

"And as for you. Do not come jogging near my place again. I don't care if it was always on your route, I don't want to see your snide face anymore. And that goes for that burly marshmallow goon of yours, too. If I see either of you again, I'll sick my dog on you, and trust me, you won't like the outcome of that." She stormed away from the dance-floor.

Rosalie ran after her. "Bella you can't go home alone."

"I'm not. I'm going to catch a cab to your place, get my dog, and then go home."

"At least let me come with you," she offered. "New York is no place for a young attractive woman to be out alone at night."

Bella huffed. "Fine, that's a good idea, I guess. I'm still used to small town life where that stuff just didn't happen." Rosalie nodded, got their coats from the coat check and hailed a cab outside. Once back at the Cullen house, Bella looked for Jasper, who was napping soundly in the corner of the room, while the men were playing video games.

"I knew you'd wear him out," Bella commented as she tried to rouse her dog. He wouldn't budge. He was snoring loudly and completely dead to the world. "How much fetch did you play?"

"I dunno, a couple hours, I suppose," Emmett answered. "He kept bringing the ball back, so we kept throwing it. Then we stopped at a pet store and got the dog bed. We didn't think Esme would want him on the sofa"

"Yeah, Em, that's the definition of fetch," Rosalie replied, kissing his nose. "You're such a dork but good thinking on the dog-bed. Esme would have a fit."

"You love me anyway," he retorted, kissing her soundly on the lips. Bella had to look away. Yet another couple that was madly in love and all she had was Jasper the dog and Jasper Whitlock who was more of a dog than the one sleeping at her feet.

"Why don't you stay here tonight, Bella?" Rosalie offered. "We've got a guest room, and I'm sure one of the guys can carry Jasper in there. You're about Esme's size, I think. You'll fit her pajamas."

"Normally I'd insist that I go home, but I'm exhausted, drunk, and don't even want to try getting Jasper into a cab when he's like this. Thank you so much." Rosalie told her to think nothing of it and led her to the guest room. Emmett scooped Jasper up of the newly acquired dog bed and carried him into the room. Edward followed with the dog bed in tow and laid it on the floor next to the bed. "I can't guarantee he'll stay in the dog bed," Bella said. "He's used to sleeping with me, so he might hop up here once he wakes up. Is that okay?"

"Not a problem, Bella," Rosalie assured her. "Sheets can be washed more easily than the upholstery on the sofas." Bella nodded and thanked her again. She changed into the satin pajamas that Rosalie brought and slipped between the sheets. This bed was like sleeping on a cloud. She was out within minutes into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Looks like James is up to his old tricks, eh? And what about Jasper just sneaking up and copping a feel... so not okay, right? Up next will be the morning after... Jasper Whitlock will try and make amends with her, will he make it worse or better. And we'll have another interaction with the infamous James. Thank you all for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

And here's chapter 4, everyone... This story is beginning to come together in my head, so my updates might be a _bit_ more frequent, but I make no promises. I'm jumping around on PoVs a bit here, which is why I chose 3rd person for this story. Helps make things a bit easier to follow along with, I think. Might I add that I don't like that you can't put asterisks in these chapters to break up the sections... it's really quite bothersome.

SM is the stage; I am merely a player.

On with the show!

* * *

Chapter 4

**Whitlock Estate** (not far out of Manhattan)

A door slammed, startling Peter from his newspaper. The Major had asked to go out alone, unaccompanied, which for him wasn't much of a problem. No one could handle an attack like Major Jasper Whitlock. Peter had some of his buddies keep an eye on the Major though, just to make sure he stayed out of trouble. Trouble being spelled I-S-A-B-E-L-L-A.

"She blew me off," Jasper bellowed. "What the hell did I do wrong?"

"Can I be frank, Major?" Peter asked. Jasper nodded. "I don't think she's gonna be your run of the mill dame. I think she likes to be treated with respect but as an equal, she doesn't want to be doted upon, like you did the other day. I wouldn't be surprised if she returned everything you bought her, just because she doesn't like that you did it behind her back."

"She'd better not," Jasper whispered through clenched teeth. "She'll be mine. One way or another, I'll see to it. Even if I have to change the tactics I've used for nearly two centuries, she'll be mine."

With that he headed out of his house and towards her apartment with the intention of confronting her on her attitude from the night before. "I wouldn't, Major," Peter said, stopping him at the door. "First of all, it's the middle of the night and she's human. I'd bet my last bag of blood that she's asleep. She might not even be home. Also, she doesn't want you near her right now. Granted her dog wouldn't do much other than get his drool on you if he attacked, but still. If you really want to win her over, you need to do it the right way. She's got a fire to her, I'll tell you that. You witnessed it and I witnessed it. I said not to let her get away and I meant it. But you've got to _get_ her first, and this is not the right way."

Jasper knew he was right, he was just letting his emotions rule him. Something he had to deal with for nearly two centuries. Being an empath had its drawbacks, letting the emotions rule you was one of them. He turned around on his heel and went back into his office, trying to devise another plan for winning over Miss Isabella Swan in a way she would deem acceptable. By mid-afternoon the next day, he had a plan.

* * *

**James' place** (dump in the middle of the city)

Three A.M signaled last call, followed by bar close, and the end of James' shift. Victoria waited impatiently for him at their crappy apartment down the street from the club. When he didn't come home promptly at three-thirty, she knew something was up. Usually it meant there was some poor sap at the club who smelled really good to him and he didn't bother to come get her before pursuing the unsuspecting human. She hated when they didn't get to share every meal together. His venom mixed into the victim's blood always offered an extra spicy tang that she loved.

She set off looking for him, following his scent from the club. He was a tracker, which meant he knew how to hide his trail, but she could always find him. He was stalking around an old building. It was a warehouse that had been converted into an apartment complex. They had lived in one similar until the superintendent got a little too friendly wit her and James broke his neck. He was a tasty one. "Lover, what are you doing?" she asked him as she hopped down from the light post she'd been watching him from.

"Met a girl tonight," he answered. "She was… different. She hung out with those yellow-eyed Volturi members and I even saw her yelling at The Major." Victoria's eyes went wide. "Yeah, she was yelling at him and he truly seemed afraid of her. I gotta know who she is. And she didn't smell too bad, either."

"James, you know I don't mind when you bring other women into the bedroom, but only if we get to eat them afterwards," Victoria complained.

"Oh we'll be eating her alright," James agreed, though Victoria felt that he didn't mean the same thing she did. And that made her insanely jealous.

* * *

**Cullen Home** (downtown Manhattan)

Bella woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon. One of her favorite combinations. Jasper was just stirring as she sat up. He opened his eyes and looked around, concerned until he found her. Then he stood up, stretched and began wagging his tail. "Morning buddy," she greeted, scratching his head and snout. He licked her hand. She got out of bed, stretched much like Jasper did and padded across the floor to the bathroom. Her clothes from the day before were on the counter, seemingly freshly washed, so she donned them after cleaning up and headed out the door.

"Morning dear," Esme greeted as Bella entered the kitchen. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, thank you. That bed is so comfy, and those pajamas were simply divine. I could have slept for years like that." Esme smiled. "If it's alright, I'm going to take Jasper on a quick run before breakfast. Kind of our morning routine. He's getting antsy, as you can see." Jasper was turning in circles and nipping at Bella's legs.

"I'd be happy to take him," Rosalie offered as she entered the room. She looked every bit as stunning as she did the night before. Bella noticed that both she and Esme were dressed to impress, and had perfectly coiffed hair. At 8am on a Saturday.

"I appreciate that, Rosalie, but I need the exercise, too. Gotta burn off those margaritas. You're welcome to come with, if you like." Rosalie looked out the window, checking the weather and agreed. Bella had checked it earlier, overcast most of the day but no rain, thankfully. She then went to change into more suitable attire for a run. Returning moments later, her hair was braided back, and she had on a pair of yoga pants with a racer-back tank and matching hoodie. Her sneakers matched the ensemble as well. Apparently they always were fashion forward in this household, even when working out.

With a happy Jasper, Rosalie and Bella left the house and headed towards the park. After stretching her legs a bit, Bella took off at a leisurely pace, warming up before her sprints. Rosalie kept up pace rather well, telling Bella she was a regular jogger, too. "How often do you do this?" Rosalie asked.

"Twice a day, but the morning run is always the most intense. Sometimes more times a day if I have trouble getting inspiration for a painting. Seeing the scenery around me usually helps with that. Even in the concrete jungle of New York, I can find the beauty in my surroundings. Ready for a sprint?" Rosalie nodded, grinning, and Bella took off.

Rosalie was surprised at how fast she was for a human. Not that it was any comparison to her own speed, but Bella could definitely run from a human if she was being chased. She wondered if she'd even be faster than Edward once she was turned. She had to feign that she was not as fast, and that she tired quickly, slowing down to a jog a few seconds before Bella did. "You clearly do this more often than I do," Rosalie said, panting.

"Well, join me more often, and you'll be just as fast, Rosalie," Bella joked.

"Call me Rose. It's what friends call me," Rosalie replied. Bella smiled at that. Not even a week in New York and she'd made a family of friends. She still had Jasper Whitlock to deal with, but she was confident that she could handle him and any goons he might send her way. And even though she told him she never wanted to see him again, she couldn't help the thrill that went down her spine at the idea of looking into his deep burgundy eyes again, or running her fingers through his curly honey hair. She wondered if it was half as soft as it looked.

While they were on their way back to the Cullen house, Bella saw a red-headed woman perched in a tree near the edge of the park. She wasn't dressed for climbing, more like dressed for clubbing, complete with six inch stilettos. "I didn't think anyone climbed trees around here," Bella called out to the woman. "I commend you on your skill; that can't have been easy." She glanced at the branches and noticed that the woman had to have jumped fairly high to even grab the lowest limb.

"Oh it's plenty easy, for _some_ of us," the woman replied, her voice not matching her body and face at all. She had an almost child like soprano voice, but her face was lethal and her body reminded Bella of a cat. Jasper began growling at the woman. He always knew the bad ones.

"I see you're bitter as ever, Vicky. James didn't put out last night?" Rosalie commented. Victoria bared her teeth and hissed at them. _Weird_, Bella thought. Jasper's growls became ferocious barks, his teeth bared at hers. "Come on, Bella. Let's get back to the house. I'm sure breakfast is ready by now." Bella agreed and left the strange woman in her tree.

"You knew her?" Bella asked once they were out of the park. Jasper's reaction to her told Bella that Victoria was dangerous. Very dangerous. He hadn't acted that way around the other Jasper, so clearly something was up with that woman.

"Yeah, she's with the bartender from the club. You met him."

"Oh yeah; James, I think? He was cool; made great drinks. Does she get jealous or something?"

"Or something," Rosalie replied. "She's just a bitter old witch. Doesn't like people, but James sure does, so she sits at home while he works at the club and does other things. She'd rather he stayed at home with her, but he is who he is, and somehow they stay together."

Once they were back at the Cullen house, Esme plated eggs, hash-browns, bacon and pancakes for Bella, along with a steaming cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. "Holy crow Esme, did you own a diner in another life? This looks amazing. Perfect hangover food.

"Not that I have a hangover, but still. This is amazing. Thank you." She looked around the room, seeing no other place settings at the breakfast bar. "Did you already eat?" Bella looked at the spread and wondered how she was going to stomach all of it. She was used to eating a small bowl of granola with yogurt and fresh fruit in the morning, and occasionally a protein shake.

"Yes, couldn't wait any longer," Esme answered, giggling and holding her stomach as if it was full. Bella didn't even see any dirty dishes in the sink. She must have been out running longer than she thought.

"Well, thank you for making extra for me. I really appreciate it." As she went to start eating, she heard the tell-tale sign of a large dog thoroughly enjoying breakfast while his tail thumps against the wall in happiness. She turned to find Jasper digging into a bowl of kibble, happy as can be. She noticed it was the same kind she always bought for him.

"Emmett remembered the kind you got when he took you shopping the other day. He made a point of picking up a bag last night while you ladies were out," Edward explained when he came into the room. "Good morning, by the way."

"Yes, good morning Edward. Wow, you seemed to read my mind. I was wondering that very thing."

Edward chuckled. "I wish I could read your mind, Bella. I'm sure it would be a fascinating place. No, I just saw your confused expression and that you were looking towards Jasper. It wasn't hard to put two and two together."

Bella seemed appeased at his answer. "Well, that makes one more Cullen to whom I owe thanks today. Where is Emmett, anyway? And everyone else for that matter?"

"Alice is at her shop, Emmett is at the coffee shop, and Carlisle is at my shop. We have employees of course, but we like to have one of us there as often as possible," Esme answered. "But I'm off today, as are Edward and Rosalie. What would you like to do?"

Jasper finished his breakfast and sidled up to Bella, sitting right up against her. She didn't know why but he'd always done this. He leaned against her as if to make sure she was really there or perhaps to make his presence known. Either way, her hand always went to scratch his head automatically. "Well, I was planning on taking all that stuff that I didn't buy with my own money back to the stores," Bella answered.

"No!" Both Esme and Edward yelled.

"Um, why not?" Bella asked.

"There is a lot more to Jasper Whitlock than meets the eye. Trust me, if you return that merchandise, or even mention the idea to him, he will take it as a personal insult, and that won't end well," Esme answered.

"Should I… should I be afraid of him?" Bella's eyes were wide with almost fear.

Esme exchanged a glance with both Edward and Rosalie. "Not necessarily," Rosalie replied. "It's just… he and his business associates… operate a bit differently than most, so they can come off as intimidating. He is dangerous, without a doubt, but I don't believe he would harm you. Not intentionally anyway."

That was a lot to take in. Bella had already gotten the Italian Mafia feel from both the Cullens and Jasper Whitlock's goon on more than one occasion. "What's really going on here?" she asked, crossing her arms on her chest. "Is there some kind of family feud or turf war that you have with him?"

"Sort of," Edward answered. "His family and our family both own a lot of businesses in the area. Not necessarily competing ones as far as type of business, but there's a long history there and we just have never gotten along, so it's best that we stay away from each other and out of each other's circles. It seems though, that he has already pulled you in so-to-speak, even against your will. But like Esme said, even if you never speak to him again, you cannot under any circumstances return the clothing he purchased."

"But it was over two hundred grand!" Bella exclaimed. "That's not just a little shopping, that's overkill. I admit, I should have been paying more attention, but most of the stores didn't even have price tags on their stuff, which already told me it was pricey, and I was having a lot of fun, but still. He can't be okay with me spending that much money. Right?"

"I'll put it this way," Edward replied, placing his fingers on his chin. "Two hundred grand would be earned in about twenty minutes." Bella's eyes went ever wider, her eyebrows hitting her hair line. "Jasper is a businessman. A very good one at that, so that amount of money to him is almost literally nothing. Trust me. He probably didn't even notice."

"Very well," Bella acquiesced. "Either way, I should go home. I have a lot to do before my apartment is finished and I need to get painting. Deadline's approaching."

Edward offered to drive her home, which Bella gratefully accepted. Jasper hopped in the backseat and they made their way to her apartment. In companionable silence, they rode through the streets of Manhattan, and Bella gazed out the window, making a mental list of all the places she still wanted to see. A Broadway play or musical was high on the list.

As if reading her mind again, Edward mentioned a musical. "My family and I are going to see In the Heights this weekend," he said. "Rosalie and Emmett can't make it though. They're going to some weekend coffee shop convention thing in Canada. So we have a couple extra tickets. Would you like to join us?"

"That would be lovely; thank you, Edward!" she exclaimed.

He waved his hand in dismissal. "Think nothing of it. If we haven't said it enough already, you're one of us now. There are perks that come with that."

They arrived at her apartment and Edward walked her to the door, leaving his car double parked. A few cabs honked at him and offered a few choice words and hand gestures but he ignored them. "Thanks for the ride, Edward. Let me know the time for the Musical and I'll be ready." She leaned up and kissed his cheek before entering the building.

Jasper seemed happy to be home and after checking all the nooks and crannies for any new scents, he curled up on his dog bed and huffed a sigh of contentment. "I'm glad to be home, too, buddy," Bella told him. He didn't move, save for thumping his tail against the floor.

She decided to get to work on assembling her bed, as it wouldn't do to sleep on the mattress on the floor anymore. It was a bit too "college apartment" for her tastes. After connecting two pallets together to make the frame, she took another apart and fashioned a headboard out of it and attached it to the frame. Bella then created a cubby system out of another pair of pallets and set that underneath the frame, so she'd have some storage under the bed for things she did need often.

After completing the bed, she made it up finally, adding the few throw pillows she'd acquired from Esme's store. The bed looked so inviting; she couldn't help but lie down and revel in the comfort for a few minutes. Jasper joined her, curling up on top of her feet, pretty much ensuring that she didn't move. She grabbed the throw blanket from behind her and tucked herself in for a short nap. Especially after having the big breakfast at the Cullens, she was more than ready to rest a bit.

Bella made a quick lunch for herself and filled Jasper's dog bowl. He glanced at the bowl, hearing the clinking sounds of the rubble hitting the ceramic, but didn't move from his comfortable spot still on the bed. "Guess you're not hungry, eh? The Cullens stuffed you right up." She scratched his head and went about her day.

She tore apart the rest of the pallets and began work on constructing a wardrobe for all her new clothes. Five hours and as many splinters later, she was sanding the surface to smooth it out, so it would take paint better. Her plan was to paint the bed frame, the vanity, and the wardrobe a turquoise color, and then sand it again so it would give an aged look. She broke for dinner, deciding to take Jasper on a short walk to the nearest food cart. It was a gyro cart and Bella purchased two gyros for herself with extra tzatziki sauce and a dish of just the gyro meat for Jasper as a treat. The next cart down had smoothies for sale, so she got a strawberry mango smoothie and took off for the park to find a clean enough picnic table to enjoy her meal.

"Well if it isn't Bella," she heard a somewhat familiar voice call out. Turning, her eyes alighted on James, the bartender from the nightclub. "And who is this?" he asked, pointing at Jasper who was growling lowly.

"Hi James, this is my dog, Jasper," Bella replied, keeping mindful of her surroundings, making sure there was a quick getaway if necessary. Something about James just rubbed her the wrong way, and it didn't help that he was with that red-haired witch either.

"How are you both doing this fine day?" he asked, cocking his head in an inhuman way. Bella had to blink twice, trying to shake the creepy feeling she got.

"Just fine thank you, working on setting up my apartment," she replied. "Just took a break for dinner and a bit of exercise."

James chuckled. "Yes, I can tell that you definitely exercise regularly, you've a great body." He shamelessly eyed her form, seeming to like what he saw, even though she was seated and most of his view was blocked by the table. Jasper continued growling. "Am I upsetting your pet?"

"He just doesn't know you," Bella lied smoothly. "He doesn't like people he doesn't know."

"And I doubt she likes you either," a musical, perfect voice called out. Bella turned and saw none other than Jasper Whitlock standing there, staring James down. James turned away and exchanged a few quiet words with Jasper. There was a fire in Jasper's eyes that did something to Bella, making her body heat increase slightly. She shook her head to get rid of that feeling and reminded herself that she had just the night before, told him to scram. Or something along those lines. Either way, he wasn't supposed to be coming near her.

James scampered off like a dog with his tail between his legs, and Jasper the dog offered one clipped bark that sounded like, "And stay out."

"I'm very sorry, Miss Swan," Jasper addressed. "I know you asked me to stay away and I had every intention of doing so. It truly is a coincidence that I'm here. I was trying a different route that didn't go near your building and it led me here. I saw him talking to you from across the way." He pointed towards a jogging path on the other side of the small park. "I knew he was bad news, so I had to interfere. I do hope you'll forgive me."

Bella blinked a few times before responding. "Actually, I'm grateful to you. He was starting to invade my personal space, and bothering Jasper. I think I should limit my interactions with him to when he's making drinks at that club. Maybe not even that."

"A wise decision, Miss Swan," Jasper Whitlock agreed. "I'll um, leave you to enjoy your meal." He pivoted on his heels and began jogging away before Bella could ask him to join her. She was partly glad for that, as she still wasn't sure what to do about him. Though the desire to run her fingers through his mess of curls was at an all-time high. And she had to wonder if James would still be an issue. He didn't know where she lived as far as she knew, but this park was close enough to home that it worried her. The locks on her apartment door were pretty tough to break, but that didn't mean he couldn't find another way to her. She'd have to be ever vigilant and perhaps start carrying that gun her father had bought for her.

At any rate, she got some inspiration for her next series of paintings and took a roundabout way home before setting up her easel with a canvas and pulling out the paints. Jasper Whitlock had just become her muse.

* * *

A/N: As you can see Rosalie is a bit OOC, she doesn't hate Bella, nor is she jealous of her. Also James is a bit OOC, too. He's still a tracker, still wants Bella, but not as much as a meal, but as something else. Victoria is her same jealous self.

And for those of you that might be wondering, the relationship between Edward and Bella will be strictly platonic. They'll be best of friends. He and Alice are truly mates. No cheating or changing up my pairings in this story.

Up next will be a little confrontation with James, Victoria and Bella. Who will come to her rescue this time? The Cullens or the Whitlocks?


	5. Chapter 5

A wee bit of citrus ensues in this chapter, right in the beginning. (Not between Bella and anyone else though, that'll happen much later) If you don't like lemons, you can skip to the next section. But on that note, if you don't like lemons, you probably shouldn't read my fics. I tend to throw them in fairly often. Not as often as other writers, but enough that my fics are for adults only ;) Also at the end of the chapter is a reference to sexual assault. Nothing happens, so rest assured, but just have to warn of the reference.

* * *

Chapter 5

"Damn that Jasper Whitlock," James hissed as he entered his apartment. Annoyed that the Major had foiled his plans to get under the Swan girl's skin, he plopped onto the couch, an exasperated huff escaping his lungs.

"Problems, lover?" Victoria purred as she wrapped her arms around him. "You know how I hate to see you upset. Just say the word and I'll turn Jasper Whitlock to ash. You know I can do it."

She was a perfect little thing most of the time, but sometimes Victoria just annoyed the hell out of him. This wasn't one of those times though. He pulled her over the back of the couch and laid her against his body. After kissing her soundly, he put his arms behind his head and nodded at her. "You know what to do."

Giving him a salacious grin, she wormed her way down his body and undid his belt buckle. After deftly unclasping his jeans, she freed him from their confines and quickly descended upon him. Her mouth was heaven, and he loved when she put him there. All he ever had to do was give her one look and she had him in her mouth within seconds.

After he finished in her mouth, he suggested, "Let's go out tonight. I know a girl that's just waiting to be tasted." Victoria grinned again and followed him out the door after tucking him back into his pants.

* * *

Jasper returned to his home, glad he was able to intervene with James and Isabella. He knew James well enough though, that it was only the beginning for him. And if anything, Jasper's claim on the girl just made the game that much more fun. His mate, Victoria, was another story all together. She had a gift of evasion, but her secondary gift, and it practically was one, was the gift of jealousy. Any time James showed an inkling of interest in another woman, meaning his eyes landed on her, she'd kill her without a second thought. Regardless of whether or not said woman even knew James existed. The woman had a problem. And now Isabella was caught in the middle of it all.

"I want someone watching Miss Swan at all times," Jasper barked at his subordinates, after having called a meeting regarding the safety of his intended. When Ruby asked him why, he simply glared at her. "James Hunter has caught her scent." Realization dawned on everyone's faces and the instantly knew why their boss was making this demand. "Try and be as covert as vampires can. I don't want Isabella thinking she's being watched, if we can help it. I wanted to respect her wishes and give her a wide berth until she came to me, but first with the Cullens trying to draw her in and now James, I need her safe. She needs to always be safe. Not just from the supernatural, but from human predators. The girl doesn't seem to have a self-preservation instinct and relies on her dog to know when danger is near.

"If she's with a Cullen, back off, but still make sure James and Victoria stay away. The Cullens can handle it, I know, and they know all about James and Victoria, so I'm not concerned about her safety from him when she's with them. But if she's alone or with other humans, stay as close as you can without giving yourselves away. Understood?" Everyone nodded their agreement and the meeting was adjourned.

Peter and his mate Charlotte had first watch. Garrett and Allen would relieve them after twelve hours. The Major wanted a situation report via text message every ninety minutes on Miss Swan's whereabouts and whether or not they caught sight or scent of James or Victoria in the area. The watch began mere hours after Jasper left her in the park. Peter confirmed that she was in her apartment, presumably asleep as all the lights were off. The next report was the same, and the one after that until around seven AM when she ventured out for coffee and a run with her dog, who coincidentally was also named Jasper. After that she stayed in her apartment. Every report was the same. "She's still in her apartment, no sign of J or V."

Around six pm, Garrett and Allen did see her leave the apartment briefly to get some food from a nearby vendor, walk her dog so he could do his business, and then head back to her apartment. She was dressed in raggedy clothes that were covered in paint splotches and streaks. She also looked to have the paint on her fingers and arms all over the place. The report on her indicated she was building her own furniture. Perhaps she was painting it as well. Garrett chose to leave those minute details out of their update to the Major, much to Allen's chagrin.

"I don't think we should keep any details from the Major," Allen complained. "Clearly he wants to know what she's up to at all times. We should tell him."

Garrett shook his head. "The Major's orders are for us to update him on her whereabouts, not what she's doing. If she was turning tricks in her apartment every 45 minutes, that'd be her business. Our updates would still read that she hasn't left her apartment and that we haven't seen James or Victoria. Simple as that. What she does is her business, and we have no right telling Jasper what she's doing at every moment of the day. Even if those were his orders, I'd ignore them. I won't condone him completely invading her privacy like that. It's bad enough he's got her on twenty-four hour watch without her knowledge, much less consent."

Allen couldn't argue with his partner's logic. Whatever Miss Swan did in the privacy of her home was her business. Though he was relieved that turning tricks was definitely not something she did. She came back out again around nine, this time in running gear. It was rather late to go running, but Allen was glad that he and Garrett were there to protect her. James and Victoria weren't the only monsters in New York. In fact, most of them were human.

* * *

After the third text message of the exact same update, Jasper was trying to figure out why she was suddenly in her apartment all the time instead of exploring the city like she had been doing the first few days she was there. Around six pm, he got a different message that she had ventured out with her dog, running to the nearest food vendor. "Not dressed for running, just seems to be getting a bit of fresh air and some food. Heading back to her apartment now," the message said.

His curiosity was getting the best of him and he wanted nothing more than to pay a visit to the young beauty, but he knew that he would not be well received. Instead he focused on his work, and on how he could convince her that joining up with the Cullens was not the best idea. To do that, he'd likely have to tell her the truth, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to do that, nor if her fragile human mind was ready to hear it.

Glancing at the clock, he noticed that it had been 95 minutes since the last update. Garrett and Allen were never late. Not once in the decades they'd worked for him. Something was seriously wrong. He called Garrett's phone and it went directly to voicemail, which meant one of three things. One, The battery was dead, for which Garrett would lose an eye. They were to keep their phones charged at all times. Two, the phone was turned off, for which Garrett would lose both arms. They were to keep their phones on at all times, no matter what. Three, the phone was destroyed, and depending on the reason behind it, Garrett might get to keep all his limbs and both eyes.

Grabbing his keys, he headed out towards Bella's house to make sure she was alright. Then he planned to ream Garrett and Allen out for not staying in communication with him. But when he arrived at her apartment and climbed up tot he window, he saw it was empty. Jasper the dog was sleeping quietly on the bed, but the rest of the apartment was unoccupied. She was gone. Where the hell did she go?

* * *

Bella sat before her several completed canvases before she thought she'd better find out the restaurant's color scheme and the cuisine before letting the buyer know she was done. She called her agent to have her call the buyer and find out. A million different painting ideas sailed through her mind as she waited for the return call. Thankfully this buyer was fairly easy to get a hold of and responded quickly.

"Southern comfort food but amped up to fine dining is the cuisine, and he said that he's basing the color scheme on your paintings," Angela told her. "Which I'm sure only adds to the pressure, right?" Actually not, since she was already done, and her theme matched the cuisine perfectly. Happy coincidence that Jasper Whitlock was a southern gentleman, or as close to one as she could get anyway.

"Did he say anything else?" Bella asked, realizing that Angela's question to the buyer might imply that she hadn't even started the paintings yet and they were due within a month. While they were done, she may have had to start all over if the color scheme was different.

"Just asked how you're coming along. I told him that you had several finished but realized the colors and content might be all wrong for the restaurant and wanted to make sure you were both on the same page in that regard while you could still fix them," Angela answered.

Bella sighed in relief. "Thanks Ang, you're the best. And thank you for fielding all this for me. The ten percent you get will never be enough, and you won't let me pay you any more."

Her friend scoffed. "Hon, you know I'd do it for free, but yeah the ten percent is kinda nice. On this next deal it should pay off my college loan debt, put a down payment on my new house, and pay for my wedding, y'know?"

"Exactly," Bella agreed. "Wait… wedding? Ben proposed?"

"Yes! I was waiting for the perfect moment to tell you. Looks like this was it." Bella could practically hear Angela smiling. "I know you're just getting settled out there and I really want you as my maid of honor. So we've decided to have a destination wedding. In New York!"

"What? You're getting married here?! Angela, don't do that just for me. I can make the trip back there. You know that it won't be a problem for me."

Angela scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, Bella. Ben and I both love the city. We went there a few times during college, remember? We both loved the zoo at Central Park and they have agreed to host our wedding and reception in their amphitheater and dining hall."

"When exactly did he propose? How do you have all this planned already?" Bella asked, suspicious.

"He proposed the day you left," she answered. "I wanted to call you first thing, but I wanted you to get settled a bit first before you felt like you had to deal with Maid of Honor duties."

Bella huffed. "Well, you know New York is the best place for a Bachelorette Party. When is the wedding? I need to start getting everything together. And don't you dare say that I don't have to. I've been waiting for this opportunity since we were kids, Ang. We promised each other and even pinky swore. Don't you dare try and take back the responsibilities just because I'm a few miles away."

"Okay fine, you win. The wedding is set for September 19th, which is close to your birthday, I know, but it was the first date the park had open. Any later than that and we run the risk of it being too cold. You understand, right?"

"Yes of course, Angela. Even if you had it on my birthday. I'd only be honored, not annoyed. You know how I hate my birthday anyway. This'll take all the attention off of me and put it on you. Do you need any help with paying the vendors? I want to help in anyway I can."

"You've got to be the most selfless person I know, Bella," Angela told her. "I mean, you get all kinds of money from this first sale and use most of it to pay off your dad's mortgage, buy your mom a new car and use what was left to fund a move to New York. How are you getting by out there anyway? I know you sold most of your clothes and your beat up old truck to move out there."

"Hey, that Kount's Kustoms guy paid me six grand for that beat up old truck, thank you very much. And I'm getting by very well. I went on a bit of a shopping spree the other day, thought I had spent over two hundred grand but…" She was cut off.

"Two hundred grand?! Bella, have you lost your mind?"

"Yes," she replied. "But I didn't spend a dime, it turns out." Angela was silent as she waited for an explanation. "I guess I have some admirer here that paid for all my stuff. I didn't even know until I got home and looked at the receipts. My card details weren't on them, and when I called the stores, they all told me that my purchases had been 'taken care of' and they weren't supposed to tell me. Just pretend like I thought I was paying myself. Like I'd ever actually spend that much money, Ang. Come on, you know me. I was having so much fun and had every intention of returning everything but the essentials. And maybe that pair of Jimmy Choos.

"And I've been told that if I do return the items, in an attempt to refund the guy who paid for it, he'll see it as a personal insult or something. I swear, it's like I'm in the middle of two feuding Italian families. Though neither of them have Italian names, so I don't know what's going on. Once they found out I'm Italian, they started practically indoctrinating me into their family. It's both awesome and really weird at the same time. I mean, I always thought New Yorkers were more of an 'every man for himself' kind of people, but apparently not."

"So who's your secret admirer? How did you figure out who it was?" Angela asked.

Bella took a deep breath, deciding whether or not to divulge his name. Though, what would Angela do with it? She wasn't the gossiping type. If Bella was talking to Jessica Stanley on the other hand, she could count on it being on the evening news, practically. "I found the guy who'd been following me around all day and got the name out of him. Jasper Whitlock… I know, I know, same as my dog. Believe me the irony of that is not lost on me."

"Wait, you said Jasper Whitlock?" Angela repeated. Bella confirmed the name. "I know that name. Hang on a second." Bella hears paper rustling as Angela searches for where she knows Jasper Whitlock from. "Bella, he's… he's the guy that bought all your art. He's the restaurant owner. Or rather, he's the CEO of the company that bought your stuff and that owns the restaurant."

Confusion was written all over Bella's face. "How could he know who I am, Angela? I thought we were thorough with keeping my identity a secret. I'm not blaming you, I'm just trying to figure this out," she said.

"I have no idea, sweetie. The only name that's ever been listed for you is Destiny. Even on the check that he wrote, which I cashed for you. It always says Destiny. We were so careful, I have no idea. It's… it's possible that it's just a coincidence, right?"

"I'm starting to think that nothing is just a coincidence around here," Bella said cryptically. "I've gotta go. I'm going to try and figure this out. I'll um… I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay, I'm sorry Bella. I was so careful. If he does know that you're Destiny, I have no idea how he figured it out." Bella assured her that she didn't blame her for anything. In the unlikely event that it was a coincidence that the man that's pursuing her and the man that bought her art are one in the same, her entire world just shifted on its axis.

She took Jasper for a quick run before returning to the apartment. Both when she went for dinner and when she left for the run, she felt like someone was watching her. She looked around as inconspicuously as she could and never saw anyone looking her way. Not once. But once she got home, she still couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, so after showering and changing, she left the apartment through the hidden exit that led out of the basement and behind the adjacent building. The feeling instantly went away and she was on her own finally. She made a mental note to thank the Super for showing her that hidden exit.

As much as she loved her dog, she couldn't take him absolutely everywhere, so it was nice on occasion to be without him. She decided to walk the few blocks to where she saw the street vendors the other day and just wander around, looking at all the goodies. There was nothing she needed to buy, but it wouldn't hurt to look at a few trinkets. Possibly something to get for Angela now that she knew Ben had finally proposed. And it also gave her some time away from all the paintings that reminded her of the one man she wanted to forget.

Bella needed to devise a plan to let Jasper Whitlock know that she knew exactly who he was, and that she didn't appreciate him manipulating her. Why wouldn't he just come right out and say that he knew she was Destiny? Why the secrecy and cryptic expressions. Was he even truly interested in her or was it all an act? Was he even going to buy her paintings or was he so evil that he just lied to Angela, promising all this money with no intent on actually paying?

Then again, it could truly be a coincidence. When they met, he acted like he had no clue who she was, and didn't give away himself at all. How could he possibly know, was the biggest mystery. Every piece of art, every document, every single aspect of her career as an artist said Destiny on it. Even when she bought materials, she paid in cash, so no paper trail ever came back to her. The art world could be ruthless, and keeping her identity a secret saved her from all of that. She didn't want to be world renowned and have to show up at various affairs, showing off her art. She just wanted to put paint to canvas and have people enjoy it. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that she got lucky enough to get paid for it was just a bonus.

As she rounded the next corner, she hit what appeared to be a very cold brick wall. When she backed away and looked up, she was looking into the eyes of James, the bartender. And he did not look friendly at all anymore. The red-headed bitch, Victoria sidled up next to him and grinned down at her. "Well hello, Bella," James greeted. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Why do I feel like you planned this?" Bella asked. "You've been following me, haven't you? And watching me."

"Not as much as you might think. Though I'm not the only one whose interest you've piqued, my pretty little thing." He ran a finger down her cheek and it sent an unpleasant chill down her spine.

"She is a pretty little thing," Victoria echoed, running her finger through Bella's hair. "Don't have your guard dog with you tonight."

Bella shivered. "Please don't touch me," she pleaded. She wanted her voice to sound more authoritative, but it came out like a whimpering mouse. James and Victoria only laughed in response. Damn it, where the hell was Jasper Whitlock when she needed saving now? Or anyone? NO one was around. Clearly she'd taken a wrong turn to get to the vendors and was in a dark alleyway. No windows were lit up, no cars were going by, it was completely deserted, save for these two creepsters.

"I know what Jasper has in store for you," James purred into her ear. "And what the Cullens want from you, too. Would you like me to tell you? Or should I leave you be and have them continue to fight over you like you're the prime piece of property in all of New York?" James pulled her tight against him and gripped her hips almost painfully.

"Property? What are you talking about?"

"Jasper wants you for his mate," he whispered. "And the Cullens want to make you their queen, so to speak. Either way, you'll be a vampire." Bella snorted.

"A what? Are you high?" The fact that James and Victoria both kept their serious faces told her that they thought they were being serious. "Vampires? Really?"

"Yes really," James replied. "Want to know how I know?"

"Yes, please enlighten me," Bella answered sarcastically.

"Because I am one," he gritted through his teeth. Then he grabbed her around the waist, lifted her off the ground as if she weighed nothing and tossed her in the air. She saw the roof of the building before she began to fall back down. Something snatched her out of the air before she landed, and it took the wind out of her. Her sight went black and she knew no more.

A/N:

Bit of a cliffie on this one. I usually try not to leave you with big cliffies, especially when my update schedule is so erratic, but I couldn't help it on this one. Up next we'll see what happened to Bella when she didn't land back on the ground. Thank you for reading!


End file.
